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Republicans will not admit this, but the numbers showed significant strength for Democrats even in the districts they lost ó strength that could grow if lawmakers continue cutting spending and taxes while reducing the negotiating rights of working families. In one rural senatorial district that had not elected a Democrat in a century, the Democratic candidate reached 48 percent of the vote. Another race was also close, and as Nate Silver noted in The Times, the overall results suggest that a contemplated statewide recall of Mr. Walker himself would be too close to call. (Two Democrats face recalls next week.)

Mr. Walker and his colleagues tried to paint the unions as unwilling to sacrifice a bit of their pensions and health benefits in rough fiscal times. It was heartening to see more than 160,000 Wisconsin voters reject that false notion. The unions had already agreed to significant concessions on both; what the Republicans really wanted was to break their organizing ability by ending bargaining on anything except wages and limiting raises to inflation.

The measure they enacted, which would block withholding of union dues from state employeesí paychecks, was aimed solely at laborís political power and had nothing to do with the state budget. But Tuesdayís vote proved that the unions and the middle-class voters who support them remain a potent force.

It was probably a stretch for union supporters to go after six incumbent senators, rather than concentrate their forces on the most vulnerable. Nonetheless, voters around the country who oppose the widespread efforts to undermine public unions ó largely financed by corporate interests ó should draw strength from Tuesdayís success, not discouragement.

LOL. And more than 180,000 agreed with it.

Milwaukee teachers "agreed to it" so much that they rushed through their contract before the law took effect so that they could lay off more than 400 teachers, rather than agree with the concessions that they gave lip service "agreeing" with.

is ludicrous, it will be a huge margin in a recall. Remember the these senate recalls all took place in very red sections of the state and all were close, this does not bode well for walker, but already you see the spin that the walker recall will be too close to call.

Bullshit!

LOL. Just like the Democrats were going to win all 6 recall elections "by a landslide" to take over the majority.